


Tim the Teenaged Batman

by BatBoyBlog



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Batman!Tim, M/M, dead bruce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 20:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17029236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatBoyBlog/pseuds/BatBoyBlog
Summary: When Bruce and Dick "Disappear" Tim is forced to become Batman and the strain is too much for any teenager





	1. Chapter 1

Tim Drake rubbed his eyes. He’d been going through files on the Batcomputer for the last 7 hours. He didn’t know how Bruce had managed it. Being Batman was even more work then he ever imagined. Tim’s eyes flicked left to the framed picture of Dick. “You had to go and leave me too?” He said to it. Sure it had crossed his mind what would happen if Bruce died, if Dick died, but he’d never imagined what would happen if they both… he refused to say die, disappeared. 

It had happened a little more than a year ago. Tim had been just a few feet away, he’d seen the blast coming down, run for them. In the blink of an eye, Bruce and Dick were gone. They’d called in everyone they could think of, magic users, aliens, people from the future, mad scientists, Superman. No one could find anything, not a trace no one could even say what happened. Batman was more than just a man he was a symbol. Soon rumors were out, Batman was gone. Gotham started to spiral out of control, the professionals thought they could get away with anything, the crazies wanted to draw out Batman. 

Tim looked down at his costume, he hadn’t wanted to be Batman, not like this. He hadn’t thought it would work, a skinny 15 year old kid, a full foot and a half shorter than Bruce. Alfred had insisted that the city needed a Batman. It had worked more or less some of the old rogues still called him “Batboy” but he’d beaten the disrespect out of the street toughs. The extra tall ears helped give the impression of height, and he had his Bo staff to give any one who thought it was funny a good thrashing. 

He looked over his shoulder at the figure curled into a ball on a camp bed. Six months ago a murderous little brat claiming to Bruce’s son had showed up. They’d trashed the Batcave when they first met, some little 10 year old with a sword who thought it was his birth right to be Batman. Tim almost smiled at the memory, the kid was good but lacked the dirty tricks. Tim had ended up with a lot of cuts but it was Damian who ended up tied up hanging from the dinosaur’s mouth. 

It had been slow going, the only way Tim could control him even a little was to make Damian Robin. Six Months in though Tim was pretty sure the kid didn’t want to kill him any more, well most days. If Tim was honest he liked the kid, he’d taken over from Alfred giving the kid his weekly hair cut. Tim sighed and thought again of trying to figure out a way to enroll Damian in school. Explaining where Bruce Wayne and his heir Dick Grayson had gone and keeping control of Wayne Enterprises had been hell. Lots of by-laws about the cooperation staying in the hands of a “Wayne” long lost 4th cousins from Europe trying to muscle in. There’d even been a faction on the board that wanted to go public sell off Bruce’s shares. It had been a nightmare, but Tim had managed, he was a Wayne, at least in public, and had Bruce’s shares. Adding Damian into the mix was a headache he didn’t know how to handle.

Besides he was a little worried that if Damian became owner of a major corporation he’d start cutting the heads off employees. Tim felt a shift in the air and knew who was there before he even spoke. “Long time no see Wonder” Tim turned to see Kon floating in the air. It shouldn’t have shocked Tim really, a year isn’t that long of a time, but Kon hadn’t changed at all. His hair fell into his eyes, his leather jacket, all the way it was the last time he’d seen him. The Funeral, Bruce and Dick’s double funeral.

“Kon” Tim tried not to flinch he’d used the Bat voice, not quite as good as Bruce’s but after a year it was pretty close. He did his best to shake it off “I’m not ‘wonder’ any more, that’s him” he nodded his head at Damian’s sleeping form. Kon made a face “You’ll always be my Boy Wonder” Tim had to laugh. “You come out here to flirt? Kon I told you I don’t have time” He felt amazingly tired and sad to say it, but it was true. Tim barely had time to fit in being a high school student, Wayne Enterprises board meetings and being Batman. His sleep was suffering even worse than when he was Robin. Trying to fit a personal life in there was just not going to happen. 

Kon rolled his eyes and floated over, drifting down till his feet touched the floor right in front of Tim. “You don’t call, you don’t write, Bart thinks you’re mad at him” Kon said reaching down and running his fingers over the side of Tim’s face which made Tim shudder. “What? that’s dumb he should know I’m not mad at him” Tim said jerking away from Kon’s hand. “Yeah? how should he know that? when was the last time you answered one of his texts Timbo, or Cassie’s or mine?” Tim looked away. He knew he’d been letting it slide more and more lately, in truth he wasn’t sure the last time he’d answered anyone’s texts. 

He looked back and Kon was making a face at him. “Okay, tell him I’m sorry” Tim tried to turn back to his work but Kon’s hand was firmly on his chair now stopping it. “Oh no, nope, we’re done with this sad sack ‘I am the night’ bullshit Timbo” Tim saw a flash of anger on Kon’s face. Tim felt a rush of anger of his own “It’s not bullshit, we can’t all just play junior kiddy hero Kon, I have a whole city to keep from going off the edge.” Kon cocked his head “and what keeps you from going off the edge? what does Gotham do when you have a nervous break down?” 

Tim stood and walked away from him, how dare Kon judge him like that. “I am fine” He spat. “No, you’re not, you got bags under your eyes so big you could pack the whole house in them. You look like you haven’t slept in 3 days” Really it was 4 so Tim was doing good he thought. “You look sick” Kon was almost pleading. He just didn’t get it, he didn’t understand what being a Bat was all about, never had. “I’m alright” Tim repeated. “Alfred doesn’t think so” Kon said quietly. Tim turned on Kon “what?” he spat at Kon. “Who the hell do you think called me and told me to get over here?” Kon looked very sad. 

Tim felt his hands start to shake. He’d thought he’d been doing well, managing things. But Alfred didn’t think he could do it, didn’t think he was doing a good enough job. Tim felt tears running down his face he was shaking all over. He felt Kon’s strong arms around him “hey hey I got you it’s okay” Kon whispered into his ear. It was nice of him to lie Tim thought. “I miss them” Tim managed. He did miss them, he missed more the sense that someone else was in charge would handle things would catch him when he fell. He felt so guilty for feeling that way. 

Tim didn’t remember much after that, he thought he remembered kissing Kon in the clouds far above the manor. He was sure he remembered Kon helping him out of his Batman costume, joking about when the last time Tim had washed it was. Then they’d climbed into bed, Kon behind him holding him close. Tim woke at 9am, from the longest and most restful sleep he’d had in months, over a year in fact. 

Tim was still on his side but there wasn’t anyone behind him. He blindly reached a hand back to pat the bed and try to find Kon. No sign. He rolled over but the bed, and his bedroom were empty no sign of Kon. Tim sighed, it had to have been a dream, he’d had lots of Kon dreams over the last year. This one had felt real but others had as well. He rolled out of bed trying to remember the real way he’d ended up here. After going to the bathroom Tim padded barefoot in only his Pajama pants toward the upstairs breakfast room.

The breakfast room was a small kitchen linked to a sitting area that had large east facing windows. Tim heard indistinct chatter from the room, meaning Damian was already awake and Alfred was feeding the kid breakfast. He turned the corner into the room and froze. Damian was sitting at the counter in an oversized green shirt and undersized green shorts he must have found somewhere, picking at a large stack of pancakes. Behind the counter working on some scrambled eggs was Kon. 

“uhh” was the best Tim’s coffeeless mind could manage to get out his mouth. “Oh” Kon said turning around “morning babe” He handed Tim a cup of coffee. Tim took a sip. “Drake” Damian said not looking up form his pancakes “I met your lover, he is very skilled at pancake making, I approve of him” Tim looked at Damian from the corner of his eye, you never could tell with this kid. “Uh nice to see you Kon?” Tim managed. “But why are you here?” Tim winced, that had come out much more rude than he’d planned. Kon laughed “wow babe you were out of it last night. We agreed, I was moving in” Tim’s heart did a flip at the same time his stomach nearly dropped out. 

“Moving in? uh what does Alfred think?” Kon laughed again “he’s just happy someone else was doing breakfast” Tim looked at Damian who was taking large mouthfuls of pancake. “Um Damian is this okay?” Damian rolled his eyes and just kept eating. “uh well what? you going to give up being Superboy and be my house husband?” Tim tried not to laugh. Kon rolled his eyes and floated over the counter to stand in front of Tim sliding his hands around Tim’s hips and floating them both a few inches off the ground. “Well I was thinking, the job of Nightwing needs filling, so what you say, Batman, Nightwing” He looked over and Damian “And Robin, one big happy family?” Tim felt a lump in his throat and just nodded fighting back the tears. He’d been so alone so lost for so long, he’d managed to fool himself that he had the hang of it, only now did he see how wrong he’d been. “As long as you keep making pancakes you can stay” Damian said around a mouthful and Kon and Tim laughed and traded a quick kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Kon stood in front of the mirror twisting this way and that. The new costume, or uniform as everyone seemed to be forcefully reminding him, felt strange. Alfred had fitted it perfectly he knew that, but in his mind it didn’t seem to fit. The blue symbol across his chest looked strange to him, he kept expecting to look look up and see the S on his chest rather than Nightwing’s wings. 

The mask was the only thing that was really different. The spirit gum that kept it on his face itched. Kon wasn’t sure about this, he’d always been Superboy, before he was anything else he was Superboy. He felt strangely naked knowing he might never use that name again, might never wear the costume he was literally born in again. He reminded himself again that he was more than that now. He’d been born to be a living weapon for Project Cadmus, but now he was Kon El, Conner Kent, he had a name, an identity, a family, friends, a boyfriend. “And Now I’m Nightwing” he said to himself looking again at the mirror.

“woof” came a voice from behind him and he turned to see Tim, Batman, coming out of the shadows. Thinking of his Tim as Batman still took an effort. He didn’t look like Bruce, too short and skinny for that, but the mask was the same, the shadows clung to him in a way they never did to Robin. Something about the mask, the way Tim moved something, made Kon do a double take every time to check it was his boyfriend and not Bruce coming out of the darkness towards him. 

Tim was looking at him with his head cocked and a half smile on his face. Kon had a hard time telling what Tim was thinking with half his face covered. “What?” he asked Tim. Tim smiled wider and closed the gap between then and reached down and cupped Kon’s backside making Nightwing yelp in surprise. “The costume really shows off your ass” Tim whispered in his ear. Kon felt himself blush but had to laugh. 

He’d worried that kissing Batman would be different than kissing Tim as Robin. Lucky for him it was just the same. Their lips met and Kon could feel Tim smiling into the kiss. It was a long slow kiss, with no direction, no urgency, it would have gone on forever if it was up to the two of them. “Disgusting” came a voice Kon and Tim broke away to face Damian, in his gray and blue Robin’s outfit with it’s orange highlights. Under his short shaved hair Damian was scowling fiercely his skinny arms crossed over his chest. 

“I know you’re both pathetically hormonal teenagers but please at least try to control your disgusting behavior in front of me.” He said before pushing his way between them to stand in front of the mirror and started to adjusting things on his uniform. Kon had to smile and couldn’t help but tease Dami “you know in a few years you’re gonna like kissing too” Damian didn’t even turn around “tt- not like that Kent, I’ll never be so flagrant in my affections” Kon rolled his eyes toward Tim who smiled into his hand.

The three of them stood together looking into the mirror, Damian in the middle Tim to his left and Kon his right. Kon took a deep breath and looked at the three of them, Batman, Robin, and Nightwing. In that moment it was really real, he lived at Wayne Manor, he was Nightwing, and he was headed out onto Gotham’s streets tonight to fight alongside Batman. There’d always been something about Tim and Dick, something unspoken, something hard and cold in their souls. Whatever happened out in the streets of Gotham, it changed people. 

Whatever happened, even if Bruce and Dick came back tomorrow Kon knew he’d be a Bat if he liked it or not after tonight. “tt- ridicules” Damian commented. “What?” Tim asked. “Nightwing is taller than Batman” Damian said Tim shrugged “most people are, just got to hit harder to make up for it” Tim turned and walked to the Batmobile swinging into it the driver’s seat. Kon floated up and then down next to him as Damian jumped into the back. “buckle up” Tim said over his shoulder “tt” Damian protested but did what he was told. The car’s canopy closed and the engine roared to life and Kon felt the rest of his life opening up in front of him.


End file.
